About Shontel

I am called to represent District B on RTD’s Board of Directors and use my knowledge of the transit industry and the skills I have developed to bring our neighborhoods to the table by building bridges between communities that have felt voiceless and invisible to RTD. I want to ensure that all constituents are heard and seen as true partners whose livelihood is dependent on the success of public transportation in our district.

For over 14 years, I have worked across disciplines including public transportation, public education, economic development, and youth leadership through agencies and community organizations. These sectors often overlap, but each are siloed and miss opportunities for collaboration.

I will represent my neighbors in District B with hard work and the connections I have made to break down those silos that hinder any large organization from delivering on its mission to serve the public. Welcome and thank you for visiting my website!

Recently two news stories regarding a series of poor choices I made when I was 22, a decade ago, have been released. I own these dark moments and take responsibility for them. Going back to a dark time can be hard but I do share it openly with many groups and people.

Here is my story.

Ten years ago, I was a struggling college student, trying to build a bright future for my son after the unexpected death of my spouse and son’s father. I was in a state of grief and panic. I didn’t know I was suffering the effects of trauma, and in the middle of this, I made a series of poor choices. This included taking funds from inactive public benefit cards of other individuals over six months. The result, was that I pled and was convicted of a misdemeanor theft.

I have and continue to take responsibility for my actions. I know that these benefits are vital to people who receive them, including low-income people and people with disabilities. After these incidents, I paid full restitution. I met the requirements of the court. I am sorry for what I did and all harms I caused others. And I apologize again today.

Meeting the requirements of the Courts is not the only way I have worked to move forward. I have dedicated my career to working for my community to make others lives better. I have continued to seek this even after years of being denied such roles because on the poor decisions I made. I was given a chance to move forward, and I have taken it. My goal is growth and supporting communities.

Now, over a decade later, I am a stronger and more compassionate person because I know firsthand the trauma and fear that can come from economic insecurity — and that getting the mental health care supports is vital. I also know what many others in my community have experienced, including with our criminal justice system.

Today I am a community organizer and professional. I went to the University of Colorado Denver and completed my degree. I now get to work within our community so that they can access the services and help they need. I will bring compassion, experience, and leadership to the RTD Board, where it’s critical that we provide transit options for community members no matter their backgrounds.

I will continue forward in this race and work with our community. I welcome all recommendations to how I can grow and support communities. I believe my eligibility for the RTD Board should be based on the voters decisions, not on a series of poor choices I made over a decade ago at a time of trauma in my life.

My Experience and Qualifications

I served as the Transit Equity Specialist for the Regional Transportation District fighting to ensure the best outcomes for communities of color and low-income populations. As an previous, RTD employee I understand the priorities and opportunities for improvement as well as have built strong internal partnerships.

I serve as an Associate Director for Community Engagement Strategy and Advocacy, where I have the opportunity to lead a team in our mission to better support our parents, students and our communities to leverage our power to elevate their voices in decision that impact their lives.

I serve on the board of Radian|Placematters, a local nonprofit with a mission to advocate for a city in which community engagement and empowerment is centered at the heart of the designand planning process. Our work as a community design center, Radian | Placematters provides guidance for individuals, organizations and neighborhoods to actively participate in creating healthy and sustainable communities. Our projects include the Beloved Community Village, a tiny home village for people experiencing homelessness. Check out our work here!

I successfully completed a 2 year-long program with the Regional Institute for Health and Environmental Leadership. This afforded me the opportunity to walk alongside a team of phenomenally incredible women; serving and leading in the Historic Five Points. The completion of the Leadership for Healthy Community Design centered in the improvement of the health outcomes through the evaluation and exploration of the impacts of the build environment, by building the capacity of Colorado communities to lead, plan and execute healthy community design initiatives or projects.

I served on the Community Think Tank for the Denveright process, a community-driven planning process that challenges us to shape how we want to evolve in four key areas: land use, mobility, parks, and recreational resources.

Mayoral Appointee of the Denver Women’s Commission, a commission dedicated to the promotion of social, economic and the political quality of life in Denver by assisting women in the attainment of equality and full opportunity by: